Float for valve mechanisms.



No. 780,301. PATENTED JAN. 1'7, 1905. G. W. NISTLE. FLOAT FOR VALVEMECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1902.

STATES "Patented January 1'7, 1905.,

GEORGE TO EVERETT W.

NOIS.

NISTLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDS BROOKS AND ROBERTL. GIFFORD, OF CHICAGO, lLLI- FLOAT FOR VALVE MECHANISMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,301, dated January1'7, 1905. Application filed fleptembcr 15, 1902. Serial No. 123,479.

To (ii/Z7 1117mm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Nrs'rnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Floats for ValveMechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel construction of float used in connectionwith valve mech- 1o anisms, my invention in the application there' ofprincipally contemplated by me constitut-' lng an improvement insteam-radiator attachments of the type illustrated in my former patent,No. 691,796, granted January 28, 1902, I 5 but being capable of use withequal advantage in connection with floats constituting constituent partsoi other types of valve mechanisms.

The attachment disclosed in my former patcut above referred to consists,essentially, of a casing having an inlet-passage thereto whichcommunicates with the radiator and an outletpassage through the basethereof which coinmunicates with the suction-pi pe of the vacuum 2 5system, the outlet-passage terminating within the casing in a nozzleslightly elevated above the base of the casing and eccentricallydisposed relatively to the latter, the orifice of which outlet-passageis normally restricted, 3 but not on tirely closed, by the base of ahollow metal float contained within the casing, the float itselfconstituting, in effect, a valve which when resting upon the nozzle 01the outlet-passage partially closes the latter, but when buoyed up bythe presence of a sufflcient volume of water in the casing leaves theoutlet-passage free for the unrestricted outlet of water therethrough.Where a hollow metal float is employed as constituting this valve, 4 thebase or bottom of the float is commonly united to the body portionthereof by means of a soldered joint, which of course leaves thefinished float with a body of air impris' oned therein. The changes oftemperature to 45 which the float is subjected in use creates expansionsand contractions of this imprisoned body of air, which sooner or laterresults in the production of small cracks or breaks in the solderedjoint, thus permitting the water to seep into the float and the latterto thus 5 become water-logged. hen the float reaches I this lattercondition, it is of course useless for its intended purpose.

The object of my invention is to obviate the above-recited objectionthrough such a modi- 5 5 fication in the construction of the float aswill prevent its becoming water-logged without impairing the buoyantcapacity thereof constituting the essential feature of its efliciencyand utility; and to this end my invention in its broadest aspectconsists of a hollow float having one or more apertures formed therethrough in such relation to the bottom Wall or lowest point of the floatas to effect the complete drainage of the float when the water 5 isdrawn ofli and render the float buoyant through the compression of theair confined between the top surface of the water therein and the wallsof the float above the aperture or apertures. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in central vertical sectionthe casing and inlet and discharge nozzles of a radiator attachmentcontaining therein a valve in the form of a hollow float constructed inaccordance with my invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are central verticalsectional bottom plan views, respectively, of a slightly-modified formof float also embodying the principle of my invention.

in the drawings, 4: designates a cylindrical casing constituting thebody of the attachment, the upper end of which may be closed by athreaded cap The casing 4: is provided at one side thereof near itsupper end with 5 a threaded boss or nipple 6, the bore? of whichconstitutes an inlet-passage communieating with a short pipe-section 8,attached to and leading from the interior of the radiator.

l The base or bottom wall of the casing at has 9 formed eecentricallytherein a nozzle 9, constituting the upper or inner end of a threadednipple 10, the bore 11 of which constitutes l thedischarge-passage ofthe casing designed.

l for communication with the suction-pipe of a vacuum system such as 1scommonly employed in connection with steam-radiators to draw off air andwater of condensation.

Within the casing a is located a valve de signed to regulate thedischarge of water through the outlet-passage 11, and this Valve is inthe form of a hollow cylindrical metal float, (indicated by 12.) Thisfloat is of such dimensions relatively to its containing-casing that itmay rise and fall therein to a limited extent and when in its lowestposition, with its base resting upon the top of the nozzle 9, will leanor tilt slightly, sufliciently to create a restricted passage-way 13 atthe orifice of the discharge passage-way 1 1 for the gradual withdrawalof the Water of condensation as fast as it is formed and discharged fromthe radiator into the casing.

Referring now to those constructional features which embody the gist ofmy invention, I form through a Wall of the float in or opposite andcommunicating with the bottom thereof one or more apertures suflicientto permit the free and unrestricted inflow and outflow of waterrelatively to the interior of the float. In the form of my inventionshown in Fig. l I locate these apertures (designated by 14) in thebottom margin of the cylindrical body of the float opposite and on alevel with the bottom wall of the float. In the form of the inventionshown in Figs. 2 and 3 I provide an aperture 14 through the bottom wallof the float, preferably centrally thereof. In both cases it will beobserved that when the water is drawn off it will drain freely from theinterior of the float, leaving the latter entirely emptied thereof.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the apertures of the floatmay be located at any point in or communicating with the base thereof,so long as they will effect the function of completely draining and emptyingthe float without affecting the capacity of the base of the floatto act as a partial closure of the orifice of the outlet-passage 11.

In operation when steam is on in the radiator water of condensation isconstantly formed in small quantities, and this trickles into the casing4 through the inlet-passage 7 and is drawn off by the suction maintainedthrough the discharge-passage l1. W hen the float 12 is at rest, asshown in Fig. l, the orifice of the outlet-passage 11 is restricted tosuch an extent that the water will enter the casing slightly faster thanit is drawn off. The surplus water thus rises in the annular chambersurrounding the float, forming a seal against the escape of steam, andat the same time enters the float through the apertures therein andrising to a height above the tops of the apertures immediatelythereafter exercises a buoyant efiect on the float through the body ofair imprisoned thereby within the float, and when the water has thusaccumulated in a quantity sufficient to raise the float off the nozzle 9the enlargement of the dischargeorifice thus created results in a morerapid discharge of the water, by which the float again settles to itslowermost position, this operation continuing automatically and indefinitely so long as the moisture condenses and accumulatesin theradiator. When, however, steam is cut off from the radiator, the vacuumacting through the discharge-passage 11 drains ofl all the water withinthe casing that is above the level of the outlet-orifice, including allthe water contained within the hollow float, thus leaving the latter inits original condition and with unimpaired capacity for performing itsintended function. It will also be seen that my invention obviates theeffects of the expansion and contraction of an imprisoned body of airwithin a hermetically-sealed float, and thus relieves the float from theinjury above referred to resulting from such action of the heat upon theimprisoned air.

I claim 1. The combination with a cylindrical casing having aninlet-passage communicating with the interior thereof near its upper endand a discharge-passage extending through its base eccentricallythereof, the orifice of said discharge-passage being slightly elevatedabove the level of the base, of a cylindrical hollow float-valve havingaflat bottom wall and provided with one or more drain-aperturescommunicating with the interior at the level of said bottom wall, thatportion of the float above said aperture or apertures being airtight,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cylindrical casing having an inlet-passagecommunicating laterally with the interior thereof and adischarge-passage extending through its base eecentrically thereof, theorifice of said discharge-passage being slightly elevated above thelevel of the base. of a cylindrical hollow float-valve having a flatbottom wall and provided around the lower end of its cylindrical bodywith a series of lateral drain-apertures communicating with the interiorat the level I of said bottom wall, that portion of the float above saidapertures being air-tight, substantially as described.

GEORGE IV. NISTLE. i IVitnesses: SAMUEL N. POND, i J ENNIE NoRBY.

